Nitro reduction catalysts

The reduction of nitro compounds is highly prevalent in small molecule chemistry. The nitrogen containing products they generate are among the most common structural motifs in molecules for the pharmaceutical, agrochemical, and fine chemical sectors. The hydrogenation of nitro compounds is a very exothermic reaction, so using a solvent as a heat sink is often advised for thermal control. Nitro compounds are readily hydrogenated to the corresponding amines with a platinum or palladium supported catalyst. Intermediate hydroxylamines, oximines, and azo compounds can be obtained by fine tuning reaction conditions.

When limited selectivity and the formation of over-reduced products negatively impacts reaction yield, enzymes present an attractive solution for aromatic nitro reduction. They exhibit high selectivity, versatility, and are suitable for scaling up without requiring high pressures or temperatures.